The Millennial generation (born ~1981-1996) is widely considered the most educated to date, with higher rates of college degrees than prior generations like Boomers or Gen X, and millennial women now surpassing men in attainment. However, Generation Z (born ~1997-2012) is also highly educated, achieving record high school graduation rates, suggesting that educational attainment continues to climb, with Gen Z potentially surpassing Millennials in overall college completion as they age.
Millennials are the most educated generation in U.S. history, nearly 40% have a bachelor's degree. But despite all that schooling, they're struggling financially. Compared to baby boomers at the same age, millennials earn about 20% less—even after adjusting for inflation.
The Millennial generation still scores better when evaluating general knowledge but also beats the Z generation when it comes to extroverted skills like verbal reasoning.
Gen Alpha is in a unique position. While they're not the first digitally native generation (that would be Gen Z), they understand and adapt to new technology faster than any previous generation.
The Flynn Effect describes a phenomenon where each generation becomes progressively smarter than the last typically resulting in a 3.3% higher average IQ per decade. However, with Generation Alpha, this trend seems to have stopped. In fact, it seems to have reversed completely.
Compared to Gen Z, Millennials are winning the aging game—at least for now. Their deliberate focus on health, balance, and self-awareness sets them up for a longer, healthier life. By avoiding bad habits like smoking and embracing proactive wellness, they've slowed some signs of aging.
Baby boomers hold more than $85 trillion in assets, making them the richest generation by far. New research explores the extraordinary rise in their good fortunes — one that experts say successive generations will be hard-pressed to replicate.
The Greatest Generation came after the Lost Generation (1883–1900), a term coined by writer Gertrude Stein and made famous by Ernest Hemingway, her protégé. It described the disillusionment and sense of aimlessness felt by young people after World War I.
Across much of the world, it is no longer middle-aged adults who are the most miserable. Instead, young people, especially Gen Z, are reporting the highest levels of unhappiness of any age group.
There's no single "toughest" generation, as each faces unique struggles, but Generation X (Gen X) (born ~1965-1980) is often cited as highly resilient and stressed, handling major economic crises (like 2008), caring for multiple generations, and being "least parented," while Gen Z (born ~1997-2012) struggles with unprecedented housing costs, mental health, and an 'always-on' digital work culture, making them incredibly hardworking but facing massive financial hurdles.
More recent information from 2021 shows this trend is still in progress, as 22% of Gen Xers confess to struggling with stress daily, compared to 17% for Millennials, 14% for Gen Zs, and 8% for Baby Boomers.
Across ancestries nationwide, Indian and Taiwanese adults are most likely to hold a bachelor's degree or higher (85 percent and 84 percent, respectively).
In that survey, 74 percent of Gen X respondents said they were experiencing financial trauma, followed by 71 percent of Millennials, 64 percent of Gen Z, and 63 percent of Baby Boomers.
People born between 1985 and 1995 are increasingly perceived as looking younger than Gen Z, according to some experts and researchers. The shift is often linked to lifestyle factors such as less smoking, better skincare habits, and delayed stress from major life pressures compared to younger generations.
Today's teens and young adults have a reputation for embracing physical activity, talking openly about mental health and scrolling through social media feeds filled with content from “wellness” gurus. Those habits have led some to dub Generation Z—those born between 1997 and 2012—the “healthiest generation.”
It is a known fact that lifespan increases with each generation. For baby boomers, the average life expectancy is 70 years, for Gen X its 85, and newer generations like Gen Z and Alpha will likely exceed the 100-year mark.
While there's no official, verified number, Lady Gaga is widely rumored to have a very high IQ, with figures like 166 or 140 often cited, placing her in the genius range, supported by her participation in gifted programs like John Hopkins's TIP and her known talent for complex musical and business patterns, though IQ tests have limitations.
As well, Sweeney states that "There are research findings showing that Millennials get higher scores on both SAT exams and standard IQ tests"(169) while Tapscott notes that they may bethe "smartest generation ever"(30). Prensky and others also believe that the technical abilities of Millennials are remarkable.
